Bill Russell pays tribute to Kobe Bryant ahead of Lakers-Celtics game

Bill Russell played a major role in making the Celtics-Lakers rivalry one of the greatest in all of sports, but the Boston legend put that aside on Sunday to pay tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers hosted the Celtics on Sunday, which was the first time the two teams met since Bryant, Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter and seven other people tragically died in a helicopter crash last month. Russell was in attendance for the game, and he arrived at Staples Center wearing Kobe’s No. 24 jersey.